Not Lost

Most of my traveling has required that I use Interstate 35, whether North or South, so it is a highway with which I am quite familiar. I mentally section off my entire distance to be traveled using approaching cities as mile markers, measuring the distance yet to be traveled. Often I recognize sites and landmarks prior to seeing signs indicating my location.

Sometimes while traveling through familiar territory, I become distracted by the phone or a thought. Whenever I recover, the question I ask myself is, "Where am I?" Other questions follow such as: 1) "Have I missed my exit," or 2) "Did I accidentally take an exit instead of remaining on the Interstate?" It is during these times of uncertainty, that I trust the highway system. I reassure myself that even though I am traveling in unfamiliar territory, I am on the right road, and all I have to do at this time in order to reach my destination is to continue driving straight ahead.

My journey through life has given me many similar experiences. I have become distracted and found myself in unfamiliar territory. I become anxious and question whether or not I have ventured off course. My enemy and adversary's goal is to deceive me and to cause me to panic, so that I will make a mistake and leave the road that will lead me to my destination.

In my natural travel and likewise in my spiritual travel, I have experienced concern over whether or not I have made a mistake. These experiences have taught me that there is a difference between "not knowing where I am" and "being lost." I remind myself and comfort myself with these words, "I may not know where I am, but I am not lost. I am on the Right Road." Jesus assures me in John 14:6 that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. My problems and challenges place me into unfamiliar territory with which I am uncomfortable until I come upon something familiar and find comfort.
God's word is a rod that comforts me. I may get broke, I may experience heartache, and I may have some pain from time to time that challenge my faith...but I am never lost. Joy!

Evil Reports

Go up at once, Mr. President, and possess your promises. You are well able to overcome the evil reporters who hope you fail.

The 13th Chapter of Numbers records the instructions God gave Moses regarding the process the children of Israel were to use in order to receive their promises. Moses sent twelve spies on a reconnaissance mission within the land God had promised to restore to Israel. All twelve spies saw the same setting: a land flowing with milk and honey, with impressive fruit, with walled cities, and with strong people, men of great stature, giants. The spies agreed that the men of Canaan made the men of Israel look like grasshoppers. Even though all twelve spies made the same observations in the land, ten of them interpreted the intelligence differently from the other two and gave an "evil report." The ten spies believed their own report and convinced a great number of people that Israel must not fight to reclaim their land.

On the contrary, Caleb and Joshua, having seen the same sights as the ten, gave an alternate report. They believed that the giants in the land were no match for the God who had already performed so many miraculous acts of deliverance on their behalf. Caleb, focusing on the promises of God advised in verse 30, "Let us go up at once and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it." Those who had given the evil report had incited the wrath of the people against Moses, Caleb, and Joshua. Those who had believed the "evil report" wanted to kill those who had believed God.

At my house growing up, when we passed along doubtful information among ourselves, we would verify outside sources. We would caution the listener about the story's reliability with the disclaimer, "Consider the source." Those who pass along "evil reports" usually have a secret motive. Evil reports are designed to divide, anger, deceive, incite, discourage, embarrass, intimidate, and humiliate the reporter's adversary or target. Evil reports can make followers lose confidence in their leaders. This tactic is most affective during turbulent times; times when everyone, including the leader, struggles with doubts of better days ahead.

It is when the evidence from our eyes foreshadows darkness and doom that the children of God and the leaders of God must depend most upon our faith, for our faith in God is the only evidence we need (Hebrews 11:1) for victory. Like Caleb and Joshua, I choose to believe God's report (Romans 10:16). When those times come in my life, no matter how evil the reports may be, I will "go up at once and possess" each of my promises. I count every evil report against me and against God's promises to me, (however painful their impact) joy.

The Tongue

A current commercial opens with a husband and wife preparing for a backyard gathering. The wife has set the table with colorfully coordinated place settings. She appears to be pleased when she notices that her husband is about to wash the deck. The husband, full of pride, corrects her and announces that he is going to, "power wash," the deck. He then pulls goggles over his eyes and flips the switch on the machine. A powerful force of water shot through the hose the husband was holding.

The force was so powerful, the husband is unable to control the hose. The beautifully set table is destroyed. The look on the wife's face indicates she will need the extra strength pain killer that is being advertised to manage the on-coming headache.

The tongue is a small member of the body, but it is powerful. James 3:5 says, "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!" God will not empower a tongue that cannot be controlled. An out of control tongue destroys lives and souls. The tongue of a prophet must be controlled by a disciplined heart, a guarded heart. King Solomon warns us in Proverbs 4: 23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." I am learning to guard my heart and my tongue. Being "on guard" counts. Joy!

Are You Ready?

During my meditation time with God one morning, He asked me, "Are you ready?" I laughed as I answered that I was. It reminded me of the first such conversation I had with Carlos, one of my students.
Many of my students have a terrible habit of not focusing on what is said to them until the third or fourth time it is repeated. To get them to prepare to focus on what I am going to say a second time, I first ask them, "Are you ready?" Carlos was the first to catch on to what I was doing, and he let me know by demonstrating the technique on me.
Carlos had asked me a question. When I responded with a, "Mmmm," he asked me, "Are you ready?" We shared a big laugh and an even bigger understanding in our teacher-student relationship.
This particular morning, God was speaking to me about the many, abundant blessings coming my way. When I stopped to think about the specifics of what He was saying to me, I wanted Him to review it, so I could capture every word. Before He spoke of those things again, God asked me, "Are you ready?" I am learning that if I am to be blessed, being swift to hear--- counts (James 1:17 - 20). Joy!

Eighteen Days

When my brother, Bruce discovered that he had Stage Four cancer, he began preparing himself for accepting the outcome. He knew that nothing was impossible for the omnipotent God he served. He had a peace that passed human understanding for either choice God was to make about healing him. Bruce placed his hand in God's hand and together they started walking towards November 3, 2010. He was not concerned about where they were headed, why it was necessary, nor was he concerned about when they would arrive. Bruce was so happy to be in the Creator's presence. He walked where God led him. Bruce followed Him all the way.
When I learned that Bruce had Stage Four cancer, I googled it on the Internet. I was heartbroken to find out that the life expectancy for the type of cancer he had was 5 years, at best. I prayed and asked God to allow Bruce to be at least counted among those with maximum survival. Even though it left me a little bitter, I accepted the meager five year sentence and mentally began plans for making them the best five years of our lives. After all, Bruce and I were experts in knowing how to make memories.
Bruce and I never had a chance to implement any of the activities on the 5 year plan. Eighteen days later, he died. If I am ever faced with another life expectancy countdown of 5 years, I will know how to properly thank God for the additional 1808 days. As for Bruce's eighteen-day countdown, I thank God for the memories we were able to make before he began his walk with God to the place where it became obvious that he was "going all the way." Turns out, five years would have only delayed the end of the most wonderful walk in the world. Joy!

Knowing

For years I wore a fragrance from the Este Lauder line called "Knowing." I appreciated the strength of the fragrance and its aroma, but I had an even deeper appreciation for the name it had been given, "Knowing." As humans, we find great comfort in simply knowing some things. For some like me, even if the contents of the knowledge are negative, we would still rather "know." Science teaches us that the extent to which knowledge can be observed and measured will determine its value.

God asks us to "walk by faith and not by sight." Abraham was abundantly blessed because he saw the invisible as though it were visible. Revelation 2:7 admonishes those of us with ears to, "...let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches...." David wrote in Psalm 34:8, "O taste and see that the Lord is good." Jesus told Thomas concerning His resurrection, "...blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed," (John 20:29). God is not subject to the observational protocol of science.

When it comes to God, our faith is all the evidence required. Accoding to Hebrews 11:1, faith, itself, is evidence-evidence of things not seen. The mercy of God does not leave us vulnerable and weakly clinging to the evidence of "faith." God gives power to our faith for the cynical observer. The Bible is full of examples of God's demonstrations of the power contained in faith: at the Red Sea (Exodus 14), at Mount Carmel (I Kings 18), and at an empty tomb (Matthew 28).

God knows that there are some things in our faith journey, we just need to know. For example, we don't just need to know by faith that we are loved by those we love. Our humaness demands a demonstration for evidence. Observable demonstrations of love and appreciation are crucial as one passes from this life, via death, and onward to eternal life. Mark 14 records the importance of the timing of this display of love. The woman broke the box and poured its contents (as if it were her love) on the feet of Jesus (verse 3).

This photo is from the Haliburtons' 2006 Celebration. Our family and friends gathered that evening to honor Bruce for completing his doctorate, as well as to celebrate Rita and Nita's 50th birthday, and to celebrate Rita and Wesley's 25th wedding Anniversary. Bruce had a lifetime of demonstrations of love towards him, but none like his final days in this life. We each flew to D.C., unaware that we were saying our goodbyes: first, Francene followed by Cheryl, Rita, Daddy, Judy, Nita, and Mama. We each broke our box of love and shared it against his impending burial.

I received a Sympathy card from Rita today, "On the loss of Your Brother." Her closing statement in her handwritten note reads, "How we will miss him, but besides the consolation of knowing he is in Heaven is the truth that he was loved and knew it." There is comfort in knowing. Joy!

The First of Firsts

In I Corinthians 15:19, Paul writes, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

Today is Thanksgiving. I am thankful most of all for the love of God. It was His love for me that caused Him to send Jesus to redeem me from the penalty of death. It was also His love for me that allowed a demonstration of His resurrection power, so my faith could carry me past my sorrows caused by the deaths of loved ones and past the fears caused by thoughts of my own pending death. I am thankful that we have hope that reaches beyond the grave.

It is fitting that the first holiday since Bruce's death be "Thanksgiving." My family has a year of firsts to face: first Christmas, first New Year's, first Valentine's for Brenda, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, 4th of July, Wedding Anniversary, and family birthdays and celebrations. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

Because Jesus lives, I can face tomorrow and all of the firsts between now and Thanksgiving 2011 with "joy."